Every cloud has a silver lining, and sometimes you have to really work hard to find that silver lining.

Recently it has been rather hot around here. A little hotter than usual,
in my estimation. I really don't know if it is getting hotter or as I
get older, I'm not able to handle the hot weather.
Whoever invented air-conditioning needs to have a Nobel peace prize
offered him (or her). I have been enjoying the luxuries of
air-conditioning inside while the outside is boiling hot.
I was enjoying the A/C with all of its amenities when the Gracious
Mistress of the Parsonage came inside literally sweating.
“My goodness,” she said hardly able to get the words out, “it's hot
outside.”
That did it for me. I did not need to go outside to check to see if it
was hot outside, I did not have to listen to the weather report to see
how hot it was, the wife said it was hot and therefore it was hot.
I have learned after a gazillion years of marriage that life is a lot
more pleasant when you agree with your spouse. I would not say this in
public, but, she is not always right, but I will never tell her when
she is wrong. Of course, I cannot think of any time right now when she
was ever wrong. However, that does not close the book for the future.
Truthfully, I must admit that she has been right concerning the weather.
It has been hot and everybody is complaining about how hot it is, even
her better half.
When she complains about it being too hot, it is too hot, guaranteed!
Not only is it too hot, but the humidity has gone out of sight.
“The air is so heavy outside,” my wife said which means the humidity is
really bad.
For the longest time I was also complaining about how hot it was
outside. Then I had one of those, what do you call it, euphoric
moments. You know what I mean, a moment when something bad all of a
sudden has a good side to it. Well, I had mine.
I found that being too hot outside is a great advantage, at least for
someone like me.
I did not realize this until the other day when my wife said something
along the line, “Don't you think you should go out and mow the
backyard?”
At the time, I was busily engaged in reading a book. I cannot remember
what book it was but I did not want to stop where I was at and go out
and mow the backyard. As I was reaching for my bookmarker to put in my
book so I could come back and pick up where I left off, a brilliant
thought exploded in my mind.
I love it when a plan comes together!
The conversation went something like this.
“I would love to go out and mow the backyard,” I said with a deep sigh,
“but it's just too hot outside today.” When I said that I was expecting
a little confrontation from the other side of the room. But I was
greatly surprised.
“Yes,” she said stammering a little bit, “it's too hot to go outside and
mow the grass.”
That was it! I won this battle. I was so excited, this is probably the
first time ever I won anything like this but I could not get back to
reading my book. I wanted to break out into my happy dance. It is not
every day that I accomplish something this significant.
Then, not surprisingly, she wanted to know if I could help her go
outside and do something. I rather forget what it was but I took it as
an opportunity to try my new ploy.
“That sounds like a wonderful thing,” I said as cheerfully as I could
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